Our galaxy has been a source of huge inspiration for creative ideas throughout time. A style of modern expression known as ‘Space Art’ has spawned over six sub-genres, including the delightfully abstract ‘Cosmic Impressionism’, yet the medium that has seemingly been used the most to explore not only ‘outer space’, but the journey through it, is the film.

There are a plethora of titles that ignite people’s memories. The ‘Alien’ trilogy, originally directed by Ridley Scott, with the sequels directed by James Cameron and David Fincher, were box-office hits, filling hundreds of thousands of cinema seats; Stanley Kubrick’s ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ sparked questions amongst movie-goers on humanity in relation to our universe and Christopher Nolan showed us a future of space travel for the sake of survival with his 2014 blockbuster, Interstellar. These are a few hand-picked examples from a long list of related cinema, which begs the question: why are film-makers and audiences alike so enthralled by what exists outside of Earth?

Of course, the answer is quite simple. For many people, space is not something they will ever see from any other point of view than looking up from Earth. The general public has never had the opportunity to float in zero gravity on a space flight, nor walk on the moon. The great human desire to experience the unknown is all-encompassing, and is momentarily sated for some by bringing their imagined journeys through the solar system to life through their artistry, and for others by consuming these artistic outputs. For those who have never had much interest in space-related cinema, but who would now like to begin their education, the titles mentioned above come together to create a great introduction to the genre. Reserve an evening, stock up on your favorite film and food, and prepare yourself for a journey (or two) through the galaxy.